The Light That Failed.

“Leave him alone, he's as mad as a hatter!”: First Edition of Rudyard Kipling's The Light that Failed

The Light That Failed.

Kipling, Rudyard.

$1,250.00

Item Number: 86433

London: Macmillan & Co, 1891.

First edition of Kipling’s first novel. Octavo, original cloth, gilt titles to the spine. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise case. Uncommon in this condition.

Written when Rudyard Kipling was 26 years old, The Light That Failed is semi-autobiographical; being based upon his own unrequited love for Florence Garrard. Most of the novel is set in London, but many important events throughout the story occur in Sudan and Port Said. It follows the life of Dick Heldar, an artist and painter who goes blind, and his unrequited love for his childhood playmate, Maisie. Though it was poorly received by critics, the novel has remained in print for over a century. It was also adapted into a play, two silent films as well as a drama film.

First edition, first issue of Kipling’s classic collection of stories, illustrated with 22 plates designed by Kipling himself. Octavo, original black-and white-stamped pictorial red cloth. In near fine condition with light rubbing. A nice example.

Price: $1,500.00

Rare autograph note inscribed by Nobel Prize-winning author Rudyard Kipling. The note reads, in part: “but it is a chapter about…theatrical. They are always great fun. Very sincerely yours Rudyard Kipling.” Double matted and framed with an engraving of Kipling. The entire piece measures 14.75 inches by 10.25 inches. A handsome example.

First American edition of Kipling’s second Jungle Book. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel with central elephant motif stamped in black to the front panel and lion to the rear, top edge gilt, decorated by John Lockwood Kipling. In near fine condition with light rubbing to the extremities. A nice example.

First edition of the collection of Kipling’s poetry. Octavo, 3 volumes, original publisher’s vellum gilt bearing author’s initials within oval vignette, gilt titles and tooling to the spine, double gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, top edge gilt. In near fine condition.

Price: $1,250.00

First edition of this one volume collection of Indian Tales. Octavo, original red cloth decorated in gilt, black and beige, sixteen black and white plates. Near fine in the original dust jacket with a few small chips. Illustrations by L.J. Bridgman. Tanselle #99.17.

Price: $750.00

First editions of both volumes of The Jungle Book. Octavo, two volumes, original blue cloth decorated and lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, engraved frontispiece with tissue guard present. Illustrated by J. L. Kipling, W.H. Drake and P. Frenzeny. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional set of these classic children’s books.

Price: $4,500.00

Signed limited first edition. Quarto, original vellum, gilt title to the spine, top edge edge. One of 500 numbered copies, signed by Rudyard Kipling. Illustrations by Donald Maxwell. With mounted color plates, other illustrations. In near fine condition with the original slipcase with paper label.

First edition of this wonderfully illustrated work by Robinson. Quarto, original blue cloth, gilt pictorial to the front panel, gilt titles and tooling to the spine. Illustrated by W. Heath Robinson with 30 mounted color plates, lettered tissue guards. In near fine condition with light rubbing.

First British edition of Kipling’s collection of school stories. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles to the spine and gilt medallion displaying an elephant to the from panel, top edge gilt. In fine condition. From the library of George Barr McCutcheon with his bookplate to the pastedown. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise case. A bright example.

First editions of both volumes of The Jungle Book. Octavo, two volumes, original blue cloth decorated and lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, engraved frontispiece with tissue guard present. Illustrated by J. L. Kipling, W.H. Drake and P. Frenzeny. In very good condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box.

The Bombay edition of Rudyard Kipling’s collected works, with volume one signed by Rudyard Kipling. Octavo, 17 volumes of 31 volumes. Bound in original half cloth, top edge gilt. Near fine in very good dust jackets.

First edition of the inclusive collection of Kipling’s poetry. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine, top edge gilt, index to first lines. Signed by Rudyard Kipling on the title page. In very good condition. Stamp and faint signature to the title page. A bright example, desirable signed.

First edition, first issue of Kipling’s classic collection of stories, illustrated with 22 plates designed by Kipling himself. Octavo, original black-and white-stamped pictorial red cloth. In near fine condition. By far, one of the nicest examples we have handled.

First editionof Kipling’s richly detailed tale of American deep-sea fishing, with frontispiece and 21 illustrations by I.W. Taber. Octavo, original blue cloth eleganted stamped in gilt.In near fine condition with only light wear to the extremities. Housed in a contemporary half morocco clamshell box. An exceptional example.

Finely bound early printings of Kipling’s collections of songs and poems regarding the late-Victorian British Army and voyages on the high seas. Octavo, three volumes, bound in three quarters morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in 6 compartments within raised gilt bands, top edge gilt, others uncut, marbled endpapers. In near fine condition. Bookplate to each pastedown.

Price: $800.00

Rare autograph letter signed and entirely in the hand of Nobel Prize-winning author Rudyard Kipling. Dated January 17, 1897 on Rock House letterhead, the letter reads, “Dear Sir, Enclosed please find 31/20 in 2 1/2 stamps: I shall be much obliged if you will forward me per work post one copy of your shilling work “A modern treatise on practical coarse fish angling or how to catch fish. Faithfully yours, Rudyard Kipling.” In near fine condition. Double matted and framed with a portrait of Kipling. The entire piece measures 12.25 inches by 15 inches. Rare and desirable.

First American editionof Kipling’s richly detailed tale of American deep-sea fishing. Octavo, original illustrated cloth with gilt titles to the spine and front panel and gilt central sailboat motif. In fine condition. A superior example.

First editionof Kipling’s richly detailed tale of American deep-sea fishing, with frontispiece and 21 illustrations by I.W. Taber. Octavo, original blue cloth eleganted stamped in gilt. Small bookplate, fine in the rare original dust jacket, which is in near fine condition with light professional restoration. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Rare and desirable in the original dust jacket.

Single page, folded into quarters on custom writing paper from The Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa with “The Vineyard, Newlands, ____ 189_” printed at the header. “Ap. 12, 1898. Dear Morgan Crofton: We are in the last agonies of packing today but I hope to have the honour of calling on the general before 12: so Tomorrow. I am most sorry to have missed him this visit. Very sincerely yours, Rudyard Kipling.” Written to British Army officer Sir Morgan George Crofton during Kipling’s first winter holiday in South Africa during which he was welcomed by a number of Cape Colony’s leading politicians, including the letter’s recipient.

Price: $850.00

First edition of Kipling’s collection of soldier tales. Octavo, original cloth with gilt titles and pictorial gilt tooling to the spine and front panel, gilt ruled, all edges gilt, frontispiece with tissue guard, illustrated with engravings. In near fine condition with a touch of wear to the crown of the spine. Housed in a custom half morocco and chemise case. A bright example.

First edition of this classic bestseller, which has sold over 100 million copies. Octavo, original cloth. Boldly signed by Napoleon Hill on the front free endpaper. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. This is the first example of a first printing we have seen signed. Rare and desirable.

First edition of Twain’s famous dog story. Octavo, original cloth. Contemporary inscription to the front free endpaper, near fine in the rare original dust jacket with wear and tear and some writing on the front panel. Illustrations by W. T. Smedley. BAL 3483.

Early printings of Saint-Exupery’s first four books. Octavo, four volumes bound in contemporary cloth. Each volume lengthily inscribed by Antoine de Saint-Exupery on the half-title page. In the author’s first novel, Courrier Sud, “Pour Madame Stokes, Avec le hont que j’eprouve a signer ce pache de jeunesse. Et en respectueux hommages Antoine de Saint-Exupery.” In his second novel, Vol de Nuit, which deals with his experiences as an airmail pilot, “Pour Madame Stokes, cher que’on retrouve une atmosphere de France en respectueux hommages Antoine de Saint- Exupery.” In his third novel, Terre des Hommes, which went on to win the Grand Prix of the Académie Française, “Pour Madame Stokes, en souvenir d’une epoque recuse ou la Terr des Hommes etait en pix et en respectueux hommages Antoine de Saint- Exupery.” And, finally, in Saint-Exupery’s Pilote de Guerre, his memoir of his role in the French Air Force as pilot during the Battle of Paris in 1940, “Pour Madame Stokes, ces souvenirs d’une pilot de ligne change en Pilote de Guerre et en hommage respectueux, Antoine de Saint-Exupery.” Each volume is in very good condition. An exceptional collection.

First edition in English of Habermas’ classic work. Octavo, original half cloth. Signed by Jurgen Habermas on the front free endpaper. Sociologist Daniel Bell’s copy, with his signature and his extensive notes throughout. Translated by Jeremy J. Shapiro. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Jacket desiged by Richard C. Bartlett.